


You Don't Know About Me

by itssmeghann



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: Death in the Family, F/F, First Meetings, Gen, Laf is great, Silas University kind of, Snarky Carmilla, Tiny Gay Laura Hollis, there's a dog
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-09 11:35:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15266643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itssmeghann/pseuds/itssmeghann
Summary: A Carmilla AU, no vampires.  Laura is super trusting, Carmilla is rude, and puppies!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I've ever posted, so if it goes well, maybe I'll post more. Just wanted to see where this idea went. Partially inspired by real-life events, let me know if you'd like to see more. I also don't know how this site works, so bear with me if it looks all wonky. Also, I wrote this at work and didn’t edit it, so there’s that.
> 
> Welp, fixed some pronouns. Sorry team :/

“Alright, so I’ll just meet you back at the apartment then for dinner!” Laura said over her shoulder as she hopped on her bike. She happily agreed to run the errands after their workout, the fact that she even got Laf to go to the gym for her class was a win.

Laf perked up at the mention of dinner “Sounds good - you want the usual?”

“Surprise me!” was all LaFontaine could hear as they watched Laura pedal off towards the store. As far as roommates went, Laura and Laf were as compatible as peanut butter and jelly, but how Laura had convinced Laf to go to the gym remained a mystery to them both as they parted ways. Laf shook their head as they walked back to their apartment. Everything hurt. How that girl had the energy to work all day, then teach a spin class was beyond them. Probably all the cookies she ate for breakfast, which was also probably the reason why she taught all those spin classes in the first place, now that they thought about it…

As Laura biked her way to the store she made a mental note to pick up tickets to the Museum of Natural Sciences for Laf next weekend. She knew the exhibit was one they had been talking about for months. It wasn’t often her friends would come to her classes, and she wanted to thank them. Once Danny stopped coming to class, Laura wasn’t as excited to teach, but LaFontaine had convinced her to continue. _“I've hit the roommate jackpot”_ she thought to herself. When she thought about it more, she was convinced she really had. Although they were vastly different in their interests, Laf could read her like a book and always managed to give her the advice she wasn’t sure she wanted, but definitely needed. Granted, the delivery often came like a swift kick to the shins, but Laura loved them for that. When it got weird with Danny, LaFaontaine, and Perry by association were her rocks.

 _“Danny….”_ Laura’s thoughts drifted to her ex as she weaved her way through the cars in the parking lot. Laura thought she was the one that got away. She always heard the chase was the most exciting part, but she thought that it was going to be different this time. Laura had dated before, but it had always been casual - a quick hookup with a teammate, flirting with girls at the bar. But with Danny it was different. For months she pined after that girl, tall, dark and handsome. Well, at least tall. Laura was so excited when they finally went on a date. She could still remember that awkward meeting - the movies for a first date was a terrible idea. Who just goes to sit in silence for two hours? Wasn’t the point to talk and get to know the person? That should have been Laura’ first clue it wasn’t going to work. But Danny had been so sweet, opening the door, buying her snacks - even sneaking in those incredible chocolate chip cookies from the bakery where she worked.

It had been almost two years of those sweet exchanges back and forth, and movie nights galore. The local theatre probably went into financial crisis when they broke up. Somewhere along the way Danny just started drifting. Or Laura started drifting? She wasn’t sure. What could have changed? Laura had graduated in that time. That was definitely a hurdle, but they got over that with ease. Maybe it was jealousy? Danny had had a hard time landing a teaching job, and Laura knew subbing and working at the bakery wasn’t doing it for her anymore. It wasn’t Laura’s fault that she landed a job right out of school.

As a copy editor, Laura was at the mercy of the reporters and putting off articles until the next morning was not going to make a good impression on anyone at the paper. It made for a lot of late nights and made it difficult to see each other. Their quality time was slashed. Laura’s full-time work schedule was a tad overwhelming, but she also refused to give up the part-time job she’d had since freshman year. Besides, Danny had been going to those spin classes since she started, that’s where they met, for Pete's sake! And wasn’t anytime spent together quality? Did it matter that for a few months they only saw each other 4 times a week, and 2 of those times were in a loud, crowded spin class? It mattered. It mattered more than Laura realized. Their schedules had gotten so confusing, Danny resorted to a shared Google calendar and got upset when Laura didn’t update it.

Perry was actually the one who brought it up first.

“Laura, honey, don’t you think it’s odd that Danny makes you send her your schedule each week? Last week when I came over, there were post-it notes on the door reminding you to update your calendar…”

After a few harsh words, which essentially amounted to Laura yelling at a shocked Perry to “mind your own business”, and a door slam Laura realized why she wasn’t updating that calendar. Taking on extra work at the paper wasn’t a requirement… she was choosing that. What did that say about their relationship, when Laura would choose to stay at work rather than hang out with her girlfriend? She had wanted to date her for so long, and now that they were together, she just felt…. suffocated.

The breakup hadn’t been particularly messy, Danny must have known it was coming. As Laura had watched her walk out, it seemed like Danny shrunk about two inches. Danny wasn’t even _mad_ about their relationship ending, just disappointed. Which, in Laura’s opinion was probably worse.

It had been three months since they ended things. Danny stopped coming to her classes, and Laura stopped going to the bakery when she knew Danny was working. Thankfully, LaFontaine had been the unofficial cookie supplier during this time. It was a solid month of going through the motions at first - wake up, workout, go to work, teach her spin classes, dinner with Laf and Perry, binge watch Food Network, sleep. It was getting exhausting.

In the end, it had been Laf who came to Laura’s rescue, delivering one of those swift kick to the shins moments, essentially telling Laura to buck up. They forced her out of the house as much as they could. One particularly beautiful night Perry convinced them to attend the annual town carnival. There was nothing some terrifyingly rickety rides, cotton candy, and carnival games couldn’t fix.

As reigning Silas University Beer Pong Champions, it’s no wonder Laura and Laf cleaned up at the Goldfish Game. Laura figured those little suckers would last a week at best - turns out Lafontaine was not only a lab rat, but a fish whisperer. In the two months since the fish arrived, they had grown out of the little fishbowl they came with, and now their apartment proudly featured a 75-gallon fish tank for three goldfish: Hermione, Ron and Harry. LaFontaine was in charge of tank cleanup; Laura in charge of tank decor and food. Naturally, an exact replica Hogwarts castle (which Laura refused to disclose the price of, maintaining she got it “for a steal”) was the first thing in the tank.

A shiver went through Laura as she finally pulled her bike up to the door of PetSmart, the rush of AC bursting out from the building as a young girl was being dragged by a floppy Golden Retriever barreled out to the front door. Laura smiled to herself. She couldn’t wait to get a dog, but for now, the Big 3 would suffice. Laura glanced at her watch as she rushed into the store - she was supposed to have gotten food for the fish before her class that night but got caught up scrolling through Reddit and Tumblr. The store closed at 9, her watch read 8:35. She beelined for the food, quickly picking up 2 bags, because who could pass up a sale? She reasoned with herself: _“if I get two bags now, the next time we run out, we will have extra. Genius!”_ Laura hopped into the only open line, glancing at her watch, hoping to get home by 9 when she knew Perry and Laf would start last week's episode of Game of Thrones, hopefully with pizza. There were a few other customers roaming the store, and about 2 people ahead of her in line when her attention was drawn to the front of the store.

A beautiful dark haired woman rushed into the store, budging right into the line Laura was patiently waiting in. She grumbled to herself “Ugh, pretty people always think they can do whatever they want. Like we don’t have anywhere to be either.” Laura was about to tell the woman to wait her turn when she was stunned silent by a wink and a smirk.

The woman turned to the cashier “I’m hoping you can help me, I just adopted a dog, literally about 3 minutes ago. I don’t have any supplies for her, they didn’t even give me a collar for her. She is terrified to come out of the car. Is there anyone who can just stand out there with her to make sure she’s okay, while I pick up some of the necessary supplies?”

“I’m sorry ma’am, but we just don’t have -”

“I’ll do it!” The words were out of her mouth before Laura even knew what happened. “I mean, if you can wait until I check out…”

The woman looked Laura up and down - _“Was she just checking me out?!” Laura thought_ \- and nodded. “Sure thing, cupcake, thanks. I’m parked right out there” With that she turned and walked back out into the parking lot.

When Laura got to the register the cashier just looked at her “What?” Laura said, with a nervous laugh. “Anything to pet a dog, right?” That had been why Laura agreed so quickly, right?

She was regretting asking Laf to take her phone so she didn’t have to worry about dropping it from the mount on her bike again, she learned her lesson after ruining two phones in two years. She wasn’t careless… just clumsy. She wished she could just shoot Laf a text - partly to see if they did, in fact, pick up pizza for dinner, but mostly to let them know she may have just agreed to be murdered. She had no idea who this woman was. She didn’t know what kind of dog she had. For all she knew, she had just agreed to get into a stranger’s car, perhaps to be murdered. But Laura had always done anything to help someone in need. Just three weeks ago she reunited a little girl who got separated from her dad in the mall. And if this woman had just adopted a dog, she can’t be that bad… right?


	2. Moving on and Getting Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit more about Carmilla. How did our dark-haired beauty manage to get to the pet store in the first place?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s some language in this one. Heads up.

Carmilla let out a disgruntled sigh, eyes shooting daggers at her sister. “Seriously Mattie? That's why you called me all the way down here in a panic? You honestly think that I want to do this?” she questioned.

"Oh, I'm absolutely positive you do not. But it's not as if I have any other options. You know Mother would never help with this, and William and his dim-witted roommate are practically puppies themselves. They couldn't possibly be trusted to take care of a living creature."

Carmilla got up from the other side of Mattie's desk and began pacing. She was furious that Mattie's phone call pulled her out of her mid-afternoon nap, practically begging her to make the trek to her office downtown. And for such a ridiculous request. She began to rub at her eyebrows, trying to will away the headache she could feel returning already. After three days of whiskey on the rocks, the two Excedrin she popped on the way down to Mattie’s office wasn't cutting it. "Why don't you just tell them that you can't take the dog anymore? I'm sure you wouldn't be the first person to make a commitment and then bail at the last minute. As a matter of fact, I can think of one assho- "

"Watch yourself, there darling." Mattie clipped, knowing exactly where Carmilla was headed. She stood up from her chair, placing two hands on her desk, leaning over it and meeting Carmilla's eyes across the room. Mattie certainly looked formidable in this stance - she hadn't become the first female marketing director in the firm's history by being comforting. However, as she looked at Carmilla, Mattie could see the pain behind the heavy eyeliner and dark eyes and quickly softened. Carmilla hadn't brought up Elle in months. It had been just over a year since the engagement ended. Mattie knew it wasn't something that her younger sister was going to just get over, but she was surprised to have struck a nerve with this one.

"My work commitments preventing me from being able to take care of a dog is nowhere close to what Elle did to you. Don't you dare make that comparison." Mattie's tone was firm, but not unkind.

"Ugh, whatever" Carmilla grumbled under her breath as she flopped back down into one of the large, brown, leather chairs facing Mattie's desk. "And this chair is so uncomfortable. You could stand for an upgrade."

"Noted,” Mattie said, smoothing her skirt down as she stood upright, moving back towards her chair. “Thank you for doing this. It will only be temporary while I clean up the disaster this project in Nice has become. Those silly boys Mother insists on hiring are honestly not worth the money we pay them. No more than 2 weeks." Mattie returned to her seat with a sly smile.

"Woah, woah, I did not say yes, Mattie. I don't know how to take care of a dog. Besides, I don't even like dogs. And, those boys are interns -we don't pay them anything. If anyone's made the mess, it's Mother herself. She can't be trusted. Funny, just like I couldn't trust E-"

"Carmilla" Mattie began to raise her voice. "I don't know what is going on with you today but honestly, this situation does not require such a respo..."

"We were supposed to get MARRIED today Mattie," Carmilla suddenly exclaimed, cutting Mattie off before she could finish her sentence. Carmilla jumped back out of the chair, quickly turning her face away from her sister. She walked over to the wall that was covered in photos and Mattie's various diplomas. The dark-haired 20-something gently reached up to brush her fingers over a framed photo from her childhood. At first glance, it would be hard to believe it was a family photo. Three children took up most of the photo: two scrawny, gap-toothed 9-year-olds, the third was a beautiful teenager with caramel skin, looking positively radiant with a shiny gold medal around her neck. A handsome man with dirty blonde hair and a neatly trimmed beard was standing behind them beaming, while an alluring but distracted woman looked off to the side towards the starting blocks.

Carmilla pulled her hand off of the photo and wiped a tear from her cheek. "This was the day I was supposed to marry the love of my life..” her voice just barely above a whisper. She put her head down and made her way back towards the desk. "We hadn't confirmed all of the details, but we wanted it to be today. Before I came here, I hadn't been out of the house in three days. Three days Mattie! I can't do it. I can't possibly take care of an animal when I can hardly take care of myself."

"You were supposed to get married today? But Kitty, it's a Monday.."

Carmilla whipped her head up, meeting her sister’s eyes quickly.

"Honestly, Mattie? That's what you're going with? 'But it's Monday?' I can't believe you!" Carmilla yelled, anger quickly flaring up. "This is why I don't tell people things - because of stupid fucking reactions like that. Yes, we were going to get married on a Monday. We were paying for the wedding ourselves, in case you forgot. Mother wasn't too keen on helping us out financially. It was cheaper, and we could get our venue for less than half the price. You know what, no, I'm not going to justify it to you anymore. It doesn't matter anyway. She left. In case you forgot that as well. Just 'poof' in the middle of the night with no warning, no note, nothing..."

"I know Carmilla. Please, I know," Mattie said softly, trying to talk Carmilla down. She hadn't seen her this worked up since the weeks right after Elle left. Mattie had gathered Carmilla and her belongings out of the apartment she shared with Elle, and let her stay in her guest room for three months. Mattie had seen Carmilla go through her moody teenager phase only from a distance, but certainly heard enough about it from their Mother. She knew her sister was prone to bad moods, resentment, and in her Mother’s words Carmilla had “a miserable disposition and a general distaste for everyone and everything.” But in the first few weeks, after Elle left, Mattie was genuinely concerned for her sister’s well-being. Carmilla was no longer just a broody, sullen teenager. There were countless nights when Mattie would come home to Carmilla sitting in the dark, scrolling through either old pictures or messages on her phone, a somber record playing, or skipping, in the back. More often than not, a half-empty bottle of whiskey was next to her. Carmilla had refused to go outside, didn’t answer her phone when it rang, and Mattie struggled to get her to even shower during that time. There was darkness in Carmilla’s heart now.

Almost three months to the day of the “disappearance”, Mattie found a note on her counter that simply said _“Thanks. I’m at 717 Spruce now. I owe you one,”_ written in Carmilla’s perfect script. It was as if with the change of seasons, so did Carmilla’s attitude. Mattie almost didn’t believe it, mostly because the note started with _“Thanks,”_ but was quick to send Carmilla a text letting her know if she needed anything more, that her door was open.

Mattie quietly stood up and slowly walked around the desk. Their family was never big on sharing their feelings, and hugs were scarce after their father died.

Carmilla sat back in the chair, resting her elbows on her knees, face buried in her hands. Mattie could see her trembling and could hear her whispering “It was supposed to be today…” over and over. She walked over to the chair, sitting on the armrest, gently placing her hand on Carmilla's back.

"Maybe this will be good for you Kitty. I know it hasn't been easy. Perhaps this is what you need. Something to love again, and some motivation to get out of the house - lord knows your work hasn't been pushing you. Just do this for me. I'll be back in 2 weeks, and then I will take her. Please don't make me call in the favor, but remember that you do owe me.."

Carmilla felt oddly put to ease by Mattie's blunt response. She shrugged out of Mattie's comforting touch and stood up for the last time. "Fine," she quipped, making her way to the door "but this is the favor, and now we're even."

 

————————————

Carmilla hurridly pressed the door-close button on the elevator repeatedly as she saw a balding middle-aged lawyer awkwardly jogging to catch it. There was no way she was going to share the elevator with that guy.  She simply shrugged as he caught her eye, just before the doors closed together. Carmilla couldn’t believe what just happened. She remembered Mattie bossing her around as kids, but she was 27 now. How could she just have let herself get bullied into this situation? _“Fucking Mattie,”_ Carmilla thought to herself as she rode the 18 floors back down to the lobby. Before Carmilla walked out of her office, Mattie was trying to tell her something about the details of how to get the dog. Something about supplies, and a foster, and don’t forget to be prepared when Carmilla picked her up on Tuesday. Carmilla hadn’t been listening. Too many thoughts of regret, frustration, anger, disappointment were swirling around in her head.

Carmilla wasn’t paying attention as she took a few steps off of the elevator, headphones in, scrolling through her playlists for the ride back to her apartment.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” Carmilla heard just before she collided with a delivery person, knocking her back, almost off of her feet.

“Ugh, are you fucking kidding me!?” Carmilla put a hand to her shoulder, rubbing the spot where she had slammed into what she could only describe as a giant. “What the fuck Red? Don’t you know you’re supposed to wait until people get off the elevator before you barge in?”

The girl didn’t say anything, shooting Carmilla an angry stare as she bent down to pick up two small boxes that had fallen with the impact. Carmilla saw the woman roll her eyes before looking down towards a box of chocolate chip cookies that had landed right next to Carmilla’s black Chucks. Carmilla smirked, then nudged the box with her foot. “Here you go Clifford, wouldn’t want you to miss a box,” Carmilla said.

Once the girl had everything in order she slowly stood. _"That shirt looks absolutely ridiculous on her,"_ Carmilla thought. She glanced at the name tag, reading two lines of text: The Night Kitchen - Danny.

Carmilla knew The Night Kitchen.  She and Elle had stumbled into it one morning and spent more than their fair share of weekends there. It had been one of the places Carmilla suggested to Elle as a wedding vendor, it was actually the only detail they had confirmed. When she hinted at having cupcakes though, rather than a cake, Elle almost lost it. Carmilla, trying to avoid a fight, dropped the subject quickly. If a traditional cake was what Elle wanted, then that’s what she would get. In the grand scheme of things, did it matter if they had cake or cupcakes? She just wanted to be married, they could spend the rest of their lives bickering about baked goods from The Night Kitchen. What they served their friends didn’t make a difference to Carmilla. Besides, Carmilla always trusted Elle to make the best decision for them.

“I didn’t see you, _ma’am_. My apologies-” the woman said, barely hiding her sarcasm.

“Whatever” Carmilla said, pulled out of another trip down memory lane. She quickly popped her headphones back in, pushed her way through the lobby onto the busy city street. Any thoughts of Elle were enough to bring that familiar burning behind Carmilla’s eyes right now, and she was not about to let tears fall in the lobby of her sister’s firm.

Before this weekend, it had been 8 weeks since Carmilla thought of Elle. She was sure keeping track wasn’t exactly healthy, but three months of wallowing in misery in her sister’s apartment had been enough. Carmilla needed to move on, so she did. She found an apartment not far from Mattie’s, got a new job, and tried to bury those emotions deep down, making sure no one else got to see them. However, moving on and getting over are not same it seemed. Every now and again, she’d be reminded - weekends like this past weekend, days like today. As Carmilla pushed through people on the street, she let a smirk make its way to her lips as she thought about the bottle of whiskey waiting for her on her counter.

—————————————

 **Missed Call (4:30 PM):** _Mattie_  
**Mattie (4:36 PM):** Slight change of plans Darling, they need you to pick up the dog tonight.  
**Missed Call (4:42 PM):** _Mattie_  
**Missed Call (5:01 PM):** _Mattie_  
**Voicemail (5:01 PM):** _Mattie_  
**Mattie (5:15 PM):** Carmilla, answer me. I need you to go tonight to get the dog! If we can’t pick her up she has to go back to the shelter! My flight leaves in 30 minutes - you need to answer me!  
**Missed Call (5:16 PM):** _Mattie_  
**Missed Call (5:20 PM):** _Mattie_  
**Carmilla (5:22 PM):** Fine. Where?  
**Missed Call (5:22 PM):** _Mattie_  
**Mattie (5:23 PM):** Honestly, you are a child. If you would just answer your telephone this would be so much easier. The foster dropped her off at the rescue… in Elmwood. You have to get there by 8:00. I just emailed you the address and all of the information. Two weeks Kitty, and I’ll be home. I am about to get on my plane - thank you - love you, mean it!  
**Carmilla (5:25 PM):** Mattie! Answer your phone! Elmwood is like 45 minutes away!

“Ugh, you are the WORST!” Carmilla yelled before she tossed her phone into the back of the couch. Elmwood was not close - a 40-minute drive on a good day, with no traffic. Carmilla quickly showered, thankful now that she got lost up in her painting, rather than the bottle of Five Saints she had all but finished yesterday. She threw on a faded The Startling Line concert tee and her trusty black jeans, ripping the hole in the left knee a bit bigger as she snagged her toes. _“Ughhhhh”_ Carmilla groaned as she shoved her feet back into her chucks, grabbed her helmet and keys, and made her way down to her bike. She got about three blocks from her apartment when she realized that she wouldn’t be able to take her bike to pick up a dog. She looked at her watch - 7:15 PM. Nothing seemed to be going right for her in the past 4 days. _“I am going to kill Mattie,”_ Carmilla thought as she turned around to go back to her building. She jogged up to her apartment, tossed her helmet on the chair by the door and quickly swapped out her bike keys for her car keys. She hadn’t driven her car in weeks, she just hoped she had enough gas to get out to Elmwood and back.

As Carmilla finally pulled up to the address Mattie had sent, she let out an apprehensive sigh. The clock read 8:20, so according to her, she was right on time. She walked up to the building and knocked on the door after finding it locked when she tried to open it. _“Aw shit… they better not have taken that damn dog to the shelter already…”_ Carmilla thought out loud as she began banging on the door. A young girl, no older than 18 rushed to the door, yanking it open “We are closed for the night - is there something I can help you with?”

“Uh, yes. I am here to pick up a dog. For my sister, Matska Belmonde. She said you would be expecting me.”

“Ohhh yea… for Boomer.” The girl said, clearly annoyed. “You were supposed to be here a half hour ago.”

“Traffic,” Carmilla responded, equally as irritated. This whole charade was turning into more trouble than it was worth.

“Well, come in and I can sign the papers. I was supposed to take her with me tonight, but now that you’re here, she’s all yours.”

“Great, thanks” Carmilla mumbled bitterly as she followed the girl into the building. It was essentially a garage, a few empty dog crates lined the walls, there were bowls and toys strewn about the open floor. “Real nice place you guys have here.” It was as if Carmilla couldn’t utter a single word that wasn’t dripping in sarcasm.

The young girl didn’t seem to pick up on it. “Thanks! It’s a dog daycare during the day that my cousin runs. We only do the rescue thing as a partnership with Home At Last, when a dog that was a rescue fail is about to be surrendered to the shelter. It’s rough. If they are in the shelter for more than 5 weeks, they just euthanize them. So, we’re thankful when people can adopt. I’m not surprised no one wanted Boomer though, she’s not exactly what most people are looking for in a family pet. People just think a “designer dog” will look just like the pictures they see on Google and Instagram. Black dogs are always hardest for breeders to sell, so we end up seeing a lot of them. She just also happened to be the runt of the litter. The breeder wasn’t going to get more than $600 for her, so he just tossed her. As a heads up, Boomer has been returned to us twice already. The first family, she wouldn’t stop barking at the dad, and apparently, she bit one of the kids in the last house she went to. They brought her back with nothing, so I don’t have anything to give you. No crate, no collar, no food. Do you have everything you need to take her home?”

The girl looked at Carmilla when she didn’t get a response, realizing she had zoned out. Carmilla had stopped paying attention somewhere after the girl said “cousin.” She didn’t actually care. If those shelters were anything like what she imagined, she also didn’t want to hear about it. She knew why dogs went to a shelter. When people didn’t want them. Carmilla knew what that felt like. Elle had reminded her of that most recently, but she imagined a shelter for a dog was a lot like what her childhood felt like. The foster home for the dog was probably nicer than it had been for her though…

“Okay so I just need you to sign here, and you’re all set.” The girl said, with a sigh, as she handed Carmilla the pen.

“Wait, what?” Carmilla looked up at the girl in confusion. “That’s it, just sign the paper and take the dog?”

“Well, your sister was pre-approved for adoption. Her assurance that this situation was temporary, and the hefty donation she gave the rescue kind of eliminated any of the issues that would have come up with you picking her up. Let me just run to the back to grab Boomer and you’re on your way.”

Carmilla looked at her phone - less than ten minutes had passed. She looked up as she heard a grunt and a sharp exhale, the girl burst through the door with a dog in her arms. “Well, someone is being a bit difficult!”

“Here ya go!” She walked over to Carmilla and pressed the dog into her chest. Carmilla’s arms instinctively wrapped around the dog as she looked down at the trembling puppy. She couldn’t have been more than a few months old and was clearly just as terrified as Carmilla was. The girl turned Carmilla around and gently nudged her towards the door. The dark-haired pair were both too stunned by what happened in the last 3 minutes to be offended that they were being manhandled by strangers. _“Great. Boomer will be back in about two days with this girl in charge”_ the younger girl thought, watching as Carmilla walked out of the building to her car.

Carmilla opened the back seat and gently placed the dog down. She remembered she had a blanket in the trunk and quickly ran to the back to get the blanket. She was about to shut the lid when she reached back in, grabbing an old university sweatshirt that was lying in there as well. She laid the blanket out, _“just to protect the leather seats”_ she thought to herself. She couldn’t think of a reason for the sweatshirt. She watched as the terrified dog spun once, then a second time before snuggling into Carmilla’s hoodie. _“Well, now what? I don’t have anything for this creature.”_

______________________________________________________  
“You have arrived at your destination.”

Carmilla had raced the GPS to the closest PetSmart, arriving only 20 minutes before the store closed. She popped open the back door and reached over to pick up the mutt, but it backed up further into the corner, shaking in fear. Carmilla looked around the parking lot, questioning if she could just leave her windows open while she ran into the store. She looked into the door, spotting the teenage boy at the register. _“Just turn on the Karnstein charm, and he will help me out I’m sure,”_ she thought to herself as she grabbed her wallet out of the center console. She cracked the windows, leaving Boomer in the car, hoping to only be in the store for a few moments.

She looked around for anyone that worked at the store, only seeing the teenage cashier. There were about 3 people in the line when she walked in: an old lady was checking out with about 12 cans of cat food. An old man stood behind her with a bag of dog food. Carmilla almost did a double take when she noticed the cute girl at the end of the line, sporting tight workout pants, her hair a mess, with two giant bags of fish food. Carmilla considered jumping into line to join her, at least to get her number. Carmilla heard a dog bark somewhere in the store and refocused on the task at hand. _“There is no way I am waiting in line. Not with that scaredy-cat dog in the backseat. It’s probably going to pee all over the car. I should just bill Mattie for a full car detail anyway, just for my troubles.”_ The dark-haired beauty turned on the charm, and walked right up to the counter, interrupting the transaction that was going on. “Excuse me…” she said to the cashier, after throwing a wink and a sly smile at the cute girl, who had scrunched up her face, clearly annoyed by Carmilla's actions.

“I’m hoping you can help me, I just adopted a dog, literally about 3 minutes ago. I don’t have any supplies for her, they didn’t even give me a collar for her. She is terrified to come out of the car. Is there anyone who can just stand out there with her to make sure she’s okay, while I pick up some of the necessary supplies?” Carmilla crooned to the cashier - she could see him struggling to pay attention to the words coming out of her mouth. She was really laying it on thick, she just needed someone to make sure the creature didn’t pee and poop all over her beautiful car.

“Uh, I... I’m sorry ma’am, but we just don’t have -”

“I’ll do it!” Carmilla heard from behind her. She slowly turned to Miss Tight Pants who had moved up in line and got a good look at her tiny frame. _“Hmm, I could definitely stand to appreciate those pants for a few extra minutes,”_ she thought to herself, considering the girl’s offer. It could be an easy way to get her number. “I mean, if you can _wait_ until I check out…” The attitude in her voice intrigued Carmilla. She looked her up and down, checking her out one last time. Carmilla nodded slightly, a smug grin barely noticeable on her lips.

“Sure thing, cupcake, thanks. I’m parked right out there.” Carmilla turned and walked out of the store. She glanced up at the reflection in the glass as she sauntered through the doors and saw two pairs of eyes watching her verrrry closely as she left. She wasn’t surprised that the bucket of teenage angst that was the cashier was staring, but her smirk turned to an actual smile when she realized Miss Tight Pants seemed to be blushing as her eyes followed her out of the store. _“Maybe today isn’t the worst day...”_ Carmilla thought to herself as she opened her car door to see a pair of beautiful black eyes looking up at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. I'm open to constructive criticism, I don't have anyone read these before I post them. You can also find me on tumblr/twitter/instagram at itssmeghann


	3. Dog Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura is a fantastic conversationalist. Also, some back story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, we learn about Laura's background in this chapter, and how she loses her mom. 
> 
> Thoughts are italicized.

_This girl better have a dog in her car_ Laura thought as she quickly grabbed the bag from the cashier.  He was clearly still trying to recover from that incredibly awkward interaction with the most attractive woman either of them had ever seen.  They both were, as Laura felt the heat finally recede from her cheeks. Laura had honestly surprised herself when she blurted out her offer to help.  Usually when she saw someone _that_ good-looking she couldn’t get a word out.  It had taken her almost 5 weeks to get the courage to even say hi to Danny, and here she was offering to just hang out in this beautiful stranger’s car.  Laura shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind. _It's not as though I’m actually helping her… I’m helping the dog,_ she rationalized. _Besides, this mystery girl was a line-budger - an automatic jerkface.  And she called me Cupcake. What was that about?! Definitely a jerkface._

After stopping at her bike to drop off the food she picked up for Hermione, Ron, and Harry, Laura looked out to the parking lot trying to guess what car could possibly belong to the dark-haired woman.   _Based on those ripped jeans and that old shirt, Jerkface probably drives some old junk car, at best a Civic or a Corolla that she’s had since she learned to drive._ She scanned the lot and saw only three cars: an old white Toyota and a dirty green Jetta were to her left; a sleek Volvo with blacked out windows was to the right.   _A Corolla, I called it!  Well, hopefully, the Corolla.  Ugh, it better not be that Jetta.  If it is though, the inside of her car better be cleaner than the outside…_ Laura thought as she began walking over to the pair of cars on the right, her mind beginning to reel.  

 _Good grief - what am I even doing? I can’t believe I just agreed to help this girl.  I don’t even know her! And she wasn’t even asking for MY help specifically. I should have just kept my mouth shut.  This is probably a scheme. She’s going to be disappointed when she realizes I have nothing worth stealing. She probably has an accomplice waiting in the car.  Okay, Hollis, think - if Jerkface’s murdery sidekick jumps out from between the cars, kick the knife out of their hand and run. You know, this is what Dad always warned you about, and why you had to take all those years of Krav-Maga!  Ugh, and the one day I send my backpack home with Laf - no phone, no keychain pepper-spray. I can’t believe this is how I’m going to die. And that teenage boy cashier would be the last one to see me before I disappear? Great, I am just going to vanish, without a trace.  Oh, maybe they will make a Netflix special about my unsolved murder! They can call it “Puppy Killer.” Okay, work in progress - definitely needs a better name. I wonder who they would get to play -_  

“Uhh, over here Buttercup…”

Laura jumped at the sound of an annoyed voice coming from behind her, interrupting her inner monologue.  She turned to see the woman from the store standing on the other side of the Volvo, dark hair hanging loosely over her shoulders.  Laura looked at the woman, down to the car, and back up to meet her eyes. Laura must have looked confused because the mystery woman sighed heavily and rolled her eyes before ducking back out of sight.  After a glace back to the pair of beat-up cars, and a quick thank you to the Powers That Be for not making her have to sit in one of those pieces of junk, Laura walked quickly over to the shiny black sedan.

“Wow, not what I was expecting,” Laura said to herself as she approached the car.

“Right,” Laura heard, this time the voice held no emotion.   _Oh crap, did I say that out-loud?_

“Okay,” the dark-haired woman continued, her tone flat, “like I said, I just got her about 10 minutes ago and the rescue didn’t give me anything for her.  So, I’m going in to get the basics, and I’ll be back out in a minute. I just need you to make sure she doesn’t try to run, or more importantly, make a mess of my car.  Think you can handle that, Cupcake?” The woman had walked around the car while she was talking, opened the door to the back seat and gestured for Laura to get in.

Laura frowned. _This girl is more concerned about her interior than if a possible puppy is safe?_  She tentatively bent over to look in the car, prepared to run at the first sign of danger.  Much to her relief, she only saw an adorable puppy with shaggy black hair huddled in the opposite seat where Jerkface had just been standing with her head through the window.  

“Ohmygodshe’ssocute!” Laura squealed, clapping her hands together, a huge smile suddenly appearing on her face.  Laura jumped into the back seat, any concern of who would be playing her in the Netflix murder docu-series about her mysterious disappearance was instantly erased when she looked into those beautiful black eyes.  “Well hello little peanut, aren’t you just the most precious thing!?” she cooed, using the voice she had reserved only for puppies, kittens, and babies. “I’m Laura, and we are going to hang out for the next few minutes while Jerkfa- uh, I mean, um, while _your mom_ goes shopping for you!”  Laura glanced over towards the dog-owner, slightly embarrassed and hoping she hadn’t heard the slip-up.  

“Great... So I’ll be back in a minute,”  was all she heard in response, relieved to see the girl already halfway to the store entrance.

“Oh wait!” Laura called, poking her head out of the car.  “What is her name?! I can’t be expected to hang out and talk to her if I don’t know her name!”

“Uh, they told me her name was Boomer, but that is absolutely getting changed.”  The woman walked off without waiting for a reaction from Laura.

“Okay, welp, I guess we will just hang here and become best friends then won’t we.  I suppose if Jerkface doesn’t like the name Boomer, I can help you pick a new one while we wait,” Laura whispered to the dog, nervous to be overheard by the owner.

“So what is your story, little pup? How did you end up here?” Laura questioned out loud, as she took in her surroundings.  The car had black leather seats to match its shiny black exterior. The car was also immaculate, not a speck of dust or dirt to be found.  It still smelled like a new car. _So either this car is brand new, or she just had it detailed to cover up her last victim._ Laura thought, returning to the worst-case-scenario as she leaned up to the front seat, looking for... she wasn’t quite sure _what_ she was looking for actually.  “Jerkface could still be up to something,” Laura said out loud to herself.   Despite all of Laura’s grizzly imaginary death sequences, deep down she thought Jerkface really did seem to just need someone to watch her dog.  

 

Out of the corner of her eye, Laura noticed a CD book laying on the floor of the passenger seat.   _CDs?  Really?  This girl.  Who still listens to CDs?  Why does her car even have a CD player in it?_ Laura leaned further into the front of the car.  “It’s not snooping if she invited me in. I feel like- oof - I just want to see -ouch” Laura was trying, and failing, to reach the book. _Ugh, just two inches taller.  That’s all I’ve ever asked for.  Just two inches taller and my life would be so different._ Resigned to the fact that she wouldn’t be able to see the CDs without actually climbing into the front seat, Laura plopped herself back into the back seat.  She was disappointed. _You can learn a lot about a person based on their CD collection.  The fact that she even has one is a bit surprising…_

Laura abruptly turned her attention back to the dog that had gotten her into this situation in the first place.  A blanket covered the seat they shared, but the dog seemed to have another item tucked under it. “Let’s see what this is that you have there little lady.  Boomer, right?” Laura reached over to the dog, gently scratching behind its right ear with one hand, attempting to see what else she was laying on. The dog didn’t respond to the name, instead keeping her head down, and seemed to shy away from Laura’s touch.

“Okay, so not Boomer.  Well, what about…. Betty?”  Laura said, giggling as she suddenly remembered her freshman year roommate.  “Just kidding. You seem like a gentlewoman, and let me tell you, Betty absolutely was not.  She was wild! She was a good roomie, but not as great as Laf.  If I hadn’t left Silas I wouldn’t have even met Laf.  Maybe you’ll get to meet them one day. I do wonder what happened to Betty though....” the tone in Laura’s voice shifting, an edge of sadness creeping in.

__________________________________________________________

 

Going to university internationally had been Laura’s dream since 3rd grade.  She and her parents had been thrilled when her acceptance came in and immediately began making shopping lists and planning the logistics of moving her halfway around the world.  However, as the summer went on and her move-in date came closer, the energy in the house shifted. Her dad became more anxious, and her mom seemed more reserved than usual. Laura thought her parents were just sad that their only child was moving thousands of miles away but during one particularly unpleasant family dinner, after a blow-up with her dad, Laura learned it was much more than that.  All throughout dinner he had rattled off a detailed list of his concerns and made a ten point plan of precautions she had to take, her personal favorites including 1. Do not walk alone after dark. 2. Carry pepper spray and a whistle at all times. 3. Do not invite strangers into your dorm room. 4. Do not post selfies on the internet. Laura actually laughed at that one.  He even made flashcards of how to say “help” and “no” in 7 different languages. The thing that set Laura off though was the required daily check-ins, and how he _insisted_ that she strictly adhere to the phone call schedule he had drafted.  

“Dad, I’ll call when I can, but three phone calls a day seems a bit excessive,” Laura responded, rolling her eyes, looking over to her mom for help.  Her mom wasn’t quite paying attention, pushing the food around on her plate. “Mom, can you help me out here with this one? Three calls a day? I love you guys and all, but no offense - I don’t want to talk to you that much,” she said with a laugh.

“Laura Hollis, I am serious! You will follow these rules, and you will call three times, or you will not go!” Her father yelled,  as he suddenly stood from the table. Laura looked at him in disbelief. Her father hardly ever yelled. The last time Laura heard him yell was her junior year - her parents had come home early from a weekend away, catching Laura and her friends in the middle of an intensely competitive game of You Got Got in the kitchen.  It also didn’t help that Laura’s girlfriend at the time, Caroline, had her hands all over Laura when her father walked in after he reminded her _several_ times that she would not be allowed over while they were gone.  Laura wasn’t sure if he was more furious about that, the mess in the kitchen or the fact that they drank all of his beer, but after two weeks of grounding and the looks of disappointment she endured, she was sure she did not want to be yelled at like that again.  

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Laura questioned, confused by his overreaction.  “I won’t go? Dad, don’t be ridiculous. You can’t just tell me I’m not going to college. I leave in eight days!  And because I said I’ll call you once a day instead of three? You’re being crazy. Mom, honestly, tell him he’s being crazy!”

“Laura, honey,” her mom said quietly, looking up from her plate with a half-hearted smile.  “I would appreciate the calls too…”

“You two have got to be kidding me!  You expect me to be the kid that has to leave a party to call mommy and daddy?  No way, not happening. I will call you, of course, but three times a day? You guys are sick.”  Laura stood from the table but hesitated when she saw her mom’s face blanch. Her dad froze in place for a brief moment, before reaching out to brush his hand against his wife’s shoulder.  “What was that?!” Laura demanded of her father, her eyes and voice suddenly full of panic.

Laura knew she’d been busy this summer with graduation, picking up extra shifts at the pool, and spending as much time with her friends as she could, she thought they were just sad about her leaving.  But her dad’s sudden outburst, and the way he froze when she said they were sick? That wasn’t a reaction she was expecting. Small moments from the past 6 weeks flashed through Laura’s mind, suddenly the signs she had missed hit her square in the face.  Thoughts of the random notes and doodles her mom started to leave for her again - just saying “hi”, her dad’s increasing protectiveness, her mom going in to work late three days a week, their refusal to take even a day-trip to the shore, all flooded into Laura’s brain.

“Nothing, honey.  Laura, it’s nothing.  What if we do two calls a day, when you wake up and when you go to bed?  Would that work? And then we can facetime twice a week,” her mom said softly.  She looked over to her husband, “Sherman, don’t you think that would be sufficient?”  Laura’s dad shifted uncomfortably behind his wife’s chair, not making eye contact with his wife or daughter.   _I thought they just didn’t want me to leave, how could I miss this?_ Laura looked from her dad back to her mom.

“Mom, what is going on?  Tell me - right now!” Laura pleaded, her voice cracking, as she slowly sank back down into her chair. _No, no, no.  Not again. No, please no, do not say what I think you are going to say, please, please, please._ Tears had already started tracking down Laura’s cheeks as she looked to her mom, as she felt her world starting to crumble around her.

“Honey, it’s okay.  It’s going to be okay.  It’s okay,” was all Laura heard as she felt her mother’s arms wrap around her.  Laura thought that the nightmare was over. They had beat it. The doctors told Laura that her mom was fine, she had been in complete remission for years. They had walked in the 3-Day just a few months ago, and her mom had been fine.

“Laura, sweetie, it’s okay.  We met with Dr. Collins yesterday.  We didn’t want to say anything until we knew for sure what was happening.  So, long story short, the cancer is back. But we have a very comprehensive treatment plan that will start on Monday.  We know what we’re dealing with this time, and everything will be okay. The only thing is love, and please don’t be mad, but I won’t be able to fly out there with you to help you move in.  You know the drill, I can’t miss a day of treatment. I have to maintain that Hollis perfect attendance record” her mom said light-heartedly, attempting to soften the news. Laura stiffened in her mom’s embrace.  

“I won’t go,” Laura said, breaking free of her mother’s arms, standing up, pacing through the kitchen.   “I’m just going to stay. I’ll defer my acceptance. I can just go to Marist, I’ll see if they will still accept me.  I’ll call the coach, she can probably pull some strings, she was so mad when I declined the scholarship, if she knew I wanted to come back she could make it happen for sure. I’ll just email the admissions department at Silas,” Laura pulled her phone from her pocket, “and just let them know that I can’t go there anymo-”

“Laura,” Sherman said.

“I can’t go there anymore.  I need to be home with you guys.  Mom, I can help take you to your appointments, that way Dad won’t have to take off of work.  We can even take Pop’s car, I know how much you love Wilhelmina. I mean, you named it after G, so clearly, you love it.  We haven’t taken her out for a spin in a while. We can put the top down if the weather is nice enough. And, fun news, now I can even drive you!  Don’t be mad but I secretly taught myself how to drive sti-”

“Laura,” her father said again, a little louder.

“I taught myself how to drive stick.” She continued, looking pointedly at her father.  “It wasn’t terribly hard. So, I can take you to your appointments, I don’t have to go.  Silas can wait until you are healthy again; when you can help me move in. I don’t have to go…” Laura repeated as she walked back and forth in front of the sink.  “I want to stay, I don’t have to go, I’ll just stay with you here and make sure everything goes to the pl-”

“Laura!” Sherman yelled, reaching out and pulling his daughter into a tight embrace.  His voice softened as he continued, “Sweetie, you’re going. It’s going to be okay. We’ve done this before.  We will do it again. Your mom is the strongest person we know, and she will be fine. You will go to Silas, you will call us three times a day, and you will love it.  You will come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas and tell us all about your adventures. We will _both_ be here when you come home to visit, and everything will be okay.”

Laura had pleaded with her parents to let her stay, but even she knew she couldn’t pass up an opportunity to go to Silas.  Her parents, and even her mom’s doctor, had reassured her that the treatment plan was already showing some results when it was time for her to leave.  Laura was reluctant, but this school had been her dream since she was 10. After a teary goodbye at the airport, Laura went to Silas.

The first two months of school went well.  Laura got along with her roommate, Betty, for the most part.  Betty was sweet but didn’t seem to care too much about her grades, and in turn, distracted Laura from her work more often than not.  One afternoon, about a week into the semester Betty had asked why Laura always passed on walking to get dinner together but would show up 10 minutes later. “Don’t want to be seen with me on the quad, Hollis?” Betty had joked.   

Laura broke down, telling Betty about her mom, and the phone call schedule.  After their heart-to-heart, Betty made it her mission to cheer Laura up and encouraged her to embrace the college experience to her fullest potential.  Betty managed to get Laura out of the dorm that weekend, dragging her to the local bar, introducing her to people whose names she promptly forgot. It didn’t help that the fake IDs Betty had gotten them worked like a charm and that Laura decided the Fishbowls at the Angler were the most delicious thing she’d ever had, ten times better than her dad’s cheap beer she drank in high school.  She could hardly remember most of the events that took place in the Angler that night, so names were certainly not high on the list.

Laura had finally let herself have a night out and actually began to enjoy herself.  Laura decided that Betty was right, she was at Silas, she should enjoy her college experience.  As the weeks went on and Laura got caught up in her classes and the many, many parties, three phone calls a day dwindled to two, and a facetime conversation was missed here and there.  Laura’s mom was always understanding and told Laura not to worry, she happy that Laura was able to finally enjoy herself. Laura felt bad for missing the calls, but her mom insisted that treatment was going well, and would much rather Laura go out with friends than sit on the phone with her.

As Fall break crept closer, Laura started to notice that her mom wasn’t answering her calls as frequently and often passed their facetime sessions off to her father.  Laura immediately became less interested in what was happening at school in class and with friends, and more concerned about what was going on at home. A week before Laura was supposed to go home for Thanksgiving every phone call home was answered by her dad.  After the fourth day in a row without talking to her mom, Laura started to unravel. Betty came home from class one evening to find Laura sitting at her desk, where Betty had left her working on her European Literature paper five hours earlier, with tears silently streaming down her face.  The only light in the room was coming from Laura’s laptop, where Travelocity.com showed 7 different flights home. Without any questions, Betty helped Laura book a flight, packed her suitcase, and drove her to the airport. With a tight hug, and a kiss on the cheek Betty sent Laura off. “It will be okay, Laur.  I’ll see you after break,” she had said.

Laura left Silas four days before Fall break officially began, surprising her parents when she showed up unannounced at dinner.  She spent her entire break by her mom’s side, looking through old pictures, laughing at unlikely animal friendship videos on the internet, and crying quietly while her mom napped next to her.  They ate Thanksgiving dinner in her mom’s bed, where they talked about Laura’s future. They talked about what her wedding dress would look like, where Laura wanted to live, what she could possibly do with a degree in English Literature if she didn’t want to teach.  Laura knew there wasn’t much time left with her mom, and decided that she wouldn’t be returning to Silas. Laura had wanted to go since she was little, but always with the support of her mom. It wouldn’t be the same without her. She emailed her advisor that night, and officially withdrew from Silas the day after Thanksgiving. Her mother passed away three days later.

Laura was a wreck after her mother's death and threw herself into any distraction she could find.  Her father wasn’t in much better shape but did anything he could to help his daughter.  For weeks he shared in her heartache and understood her lashing out, but when Laura crashed her car coming home from a night out with her ex-girlfriend Caroline, he put his foot down.  

“Laura, you cannot keep doing this.   _WE_ cannot keep doing this.  We lost her, but I cannot lose you too.  Do you know how terrifying it was to get that call from Caroline?  She was panicked. I thought I had lost you. You’re lucky it was just a broken arm!  It could have been so much worse, for you and Caroline. We need to get through this together Laura.  Which means I need you, to be here.”

Laura looked at her father, tears in her eyes. She knew she was being reckless, she knew this wasn’t her.  She just didn’t know how to get back. “I know, Dad. I know…” the tears now flowing freely. A lengthy conversation followed, full of shared memories of their lost love.  Laura and her father agreed that things were going to change, they could make a new normal, together. They did, slowly. Laura cut things off with Caroline again, for good this time, and bought herself a bike.  She had totaled her car in the accident, and her only other option was to drive her Pop’s car, the 1953 Corvette her mom named after Laura’s grandmother -Wilhelmina. Laura didn’t want to drive Willie, telling her dad she didn’t trust herself after the accident.  The truth was it hurt too much to be in that car without her mother. She left it untouched in the garage and rode her bike everywhere instead.

 

____________________________________________________________

 

A sudden wind gust swept through the open car door and Laura stirred in the seat, wincing in pain as the seat belt buckle poked sharply into her hip.  Laura blinked back the tears she could feel starting to build.

“Anyway,” she said looking at the puppy, realizing her hand was still on Boomer’s head.   Laura shook her head and ruffed the fur between Boomer’s eyes. She turned away quickly, leaning her body out of the car.  She looked towards the storefront, hoping the dog’s owner would be back soon. Laura wasn’t sure how much longer she would be able to sit in this car without letting her mind travel to a dark place. She couldn’t see into the store and settled back into the seat with a sigh.   Laura squeezed her eyes shut, as she leaned her head back into the headrest. She let her hands fall to the side, one resting lightly on the seat between the two in the car. The puppy seemed to understand Laura’s sadness and nudged her nose back underneath Laura’s hand. She smiled, turning to look at the dog, her heart melting all over again.

“So, what about Daxko?  I always thought that would be a good dog name.”  Laura turned her full attention back to the little black puppy.  “Or how about Spot?” Laura offered, noticing a small patch of white fur on the dog’s chest.  “I know, not very original, but it’s a classic! Man, who knew picking a dog name would be so hard.”

She shifted again, scooching closer to the puppy.   “Okay, let’s brainstorm here - what TV shows do you think Jerkface watches?  I would have guessed she was the kind to steal her cable and HBO from a neighbor, but seeing this car, it’s probably the other way around.  Think she watches Game of Thrones, too? What about Gilly? That could be a good one. Oh, I know! Let’s go old school here. Jerkface kind of reminds me of that one cartoon character from a show I used to watch, Recess… ugh what was her name?!  She was the tough one, wore the leather jacket and the boots! By the way, what fourth grader wears a leather jacket and biker boots?” Laura continued, talking excitedly to the dog as if she were going to respond.

“I can’t believe this.  I watched that show every day.  I even had a lunch box! Ugh, eight-year-old Laura would be so sad that I don’t rememb- SPINELLI!  I remembered, boom!” The dog jumped and whimpered nervously at Laura’s exclamation in the small car.  “Oh, I’m so sorry little peanut!” Laura put both hands behind the dog’s ears, scratching softly. This time the puppy lifted her head and eased into Laura’s embrace.  “Spinelli? Do you like that name? Better than Boomer at least?” The puppy wiggled closer to Laura and plopped her head on Laura’s leg. “I feel like Jerkface reminds me of Spinelli for sure, but you’re too sweet.  Just look at your little face!”

Laura slid down a bit in the seat, the puppy’s head resting comfortably in her lap now.  She looked out of the open car door again, wondering how much longer she was going to be on dog duty.  She glanced down at her watch - 8:50pm. Her attention was drawn over to her bike that was leaning against the building by the entrance, noticing her helmet swaying on the handlebars as the breeze picked up.  Laura had checked the weather before riding into work that afternoon, and in her mind, a 50% chance of thunderstorms after 9:00 meant 50% chance of a beautiful night, and she was going to take those odds. She was supposed to have been home by now anyway.  Not that she minded the task that was keeping her out, but Laf was certainly going to worry if she didn’t get home soon. Laura felt a sudden huff of warm air on her legs and a wet nose began to nudge her hand again.

Laura looked down at the dog, who met her gaze.   She gently picked up a paw, observing for the first time how big they were.   _This dog is going to be gigantic.  Hopefully Jerkface knows what she’s doing._ The dog let Laura play with her paws, tilting her head to the side as Laura hummed a few lines from one of the songs that she’d played in her spin class that night.  It wasn’t often she sang, but she could carry a tune. Laura smiled at the dog, setting her paws down - noticing out of the corner of her eye that the dog had moved off of whatever she had been sleeping on when Laura got in the car.  

Laura reached around the dog and picked up a dark heather grey sweatshirt, with the word SILAS written across the front in gold letters.  “Wait, WHAT?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. You can find me on the interwebs at itssmeghann


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